Nature's Tribe

by Jacky Gray

  Senna laughed. “How peculiar you look. But I’m glad to see you are putting in enough effort for both of us. I fear I will not be able to make it out of the door today.”

  The smile melted from her daughter’s face like snow in a cauldron as she flew to her mother’s side and felt her brow. “Oh, Mama. How dreadful of me not to realise you were poorly. I thought you were simply lying in after such an exhausting day yesterday. Should I fetch someone?”

  A rueful grin accompanied the thought of who one would call when the healer fell ill. Her daughter promptly picked up the notion.

  “What am I saying? You are the only healer.” She felt her mother’s brow. “Let me get you an infusion of lemon and blackcurrant for starters. With maybe a little peppermint to settle your stomach?”

  “It’s nice to know you have taken in so much. That sounds perfect, with maybe the addition of some chamomile. I fear I will be doing little but sleeping today.”

  Lyrelie had obviously paid lots of attention to her mother’s craft, as she returned within a few moments carrying the large dish of crystals from the healing area.

  Senna watched with pride as her daughter placed several crystals around her body, and under her pillow.

  Her task complete, Lyrelie posed a tentative question. “May I try some earth energy healing? I’ve never done it before, but I’ve watched you doing it often, and I’d like to try.”

  “Of course, that would be lovely.”

  “Which crystal should I use?” She glanced at the array of stones and frowned, concern lining her face.

  “For now, I recommend you wear the rose quartz pendant, and place some bloodstone in your pocket to keep you grounded.”

  Following her mother’s instructions, Lyrelie tuned into the earth energies and placed her hands where the healing would be most beneficial, focusing particularly on the heart chakra and temples.

  Senna gave herself up to the novel experience of being on the receiving end of the treatment. She opened her mind to receive the power of the healing as it flowed throughout her body, drifting in and out of lucid dreams.

  The sound of jollity outside brought her back to consciousness, and the first thing she saw was her daughter’s radiant expression.

  “Oh, Mama. That was incredible. I never realised it would feel so …” She searched for a suitable word.

  “Energising?”

  “Precisely. It’s almost as though you were healing me, not the other way round.”

  “Which is why I am almost never ill.” Did I sleep for long?”

  “Only sufficient time for me to make the brew, and for it to cool to a perfect blood heat. You should drink it now.”

  Taking a sip, she nodded. “Perfect. And I detect you added some honey, that will help to ...”

  “Fight the infection. See, I do listen.”

  “I never thought otherwise.”

  The next time Senna awoke, it was the result of the inevitable pounding on her front door, which seemed to be a feature of this Yuletide. Unlike the other times, this had an urgency and duration which forced her to rise and answer it.

  Wondering what had happened to her daughter, she pulled a robe over her nightgown, and cautiously made her way downstairs, her head dizzy from the exertion.

  The thumping never ceased, despite her attempts to reassure the person outside they were being attended to. Her voice came out only as a barely audible croak. So when she did open the door, she was met by a fist in her face, which pushed her into the room, stumbling back.

  “What are you doing on the floor, you stupid woman? Get up. My daughter is giving birth and you need to attend immediately.”

  Normally, she would never allow anyone to speak to her thus, particularly in her own home. But the illness had stolen her strength, and she was unable to speak.

  “Ridiculous. What kind of place is this where the healer lies abed all day, letting patients suffer? I told Lareeta she should stay with us where she can be tended by a proper physician.”

  As she tentatively rose from the floor, he peered at her, noticing her attire. “This is the most backward village, where even the midwife thinks it funny to dress foolishly. Get some proper clothes on, woman, and come with me, right now.”

  Senna sat in a chair, trying to gather wits she was sure had scattered all over the floor. Then a familiar warmth surrounded her as she connected with Lyran’s energy. He forged a layer of protection around her, so powerful it knocked the bumptious man over.

  Her dead husband’s presence in the room was so strong, it gave Senna the courage to speak up for herself. She resisted Lyran’s suggestion to shove the rude man out of the door, settling on a cold, deadly tone. “I suggest you leave my house before I call the militia to remove you with force. I must warn you, they do not take kindly to having their festivities interrupted.”

  The man had stumbled to his feet with far less grace than she, due to his bulk. Which he now used in an attempt to intimidate, towering over her. “How dare you speak to me like that? Do you know who I am?”

  She rose to her feet, the anger glittering in her eyes forcing him to blunder backward. “I am the mistress of this house, and you are nothing but a rude stranger, who comes in and threatens me. Whoever you think you are, no man in this village would hesitate to come to my aid if I should call out for help.”

  “But you cannot neglect one of your patients; the word would get out and you would be ruined.”

  “Anyone in this village would understand that I have been taken ill, and need to eat something before I can venture out of the door. I suggest you tell Taron to send the cart as I am too weak to walk to his house. Give him and Lareeta my apologies and tell her she knows what to do. I shall be along presently.” She turned to the stairs, her intentions clear.

  He didn’t take well to her dismissal, lurching toward her. She opened her mouth and screamed, maintaining level eye contact with him as he turned tail and ran.

  Reaching the security of the bedchamber, she collapsed onto the bed and breathed in deeply, trying to regain the calm serenity needed to birth the babe. Again, Lyran was there, massaging her shoulders as he congratulated her on her courage and handling of the bully.

  For an instant, she relaxed back into him, allowing his touch to soothe as it had done so many times when he was alive.

  “Mama?” Panic sharpened Lyrelie’s voice as she ran up the stairs and flung the door open. “Are you all right? Who is that man? What has been happening? I only left for an instant …”

  “All’s well, sweetheart. I’m fine. That man was Lareeta’s father. He was very rude and angry, but I sent him packing.”

  “Her father? Why would he be here? I left Lareeta a quarter hour ago, chatting with her mother; in the best of health.”

  Senna groaned. “And you did not see that man at the house? Oh my goodness. I feel like I have just had a narrow escape. That ruffian could have been anyone, coming into my house and threatening me.”

  “What happened? Wait, let me make a brew.” She disappeared, and Senna heard her exclaiming that the fire had nearly burnt out.

  In the time it took her daughter to coax the flames back into life, and fill the copper pot, Senna washed away the sickly sheen of sweat, and dressed herself, wearing Lyran’s breeches and boots. She picked one of his favourite tunics; a thick woollen one she had knitted herself for their first Yuletide together. The darning and patches bore testament to the hard life the garment had led. But it still retained the wonderful smell of him, and she knew it would protect her should she have the misfortune to come across that noxious man again.

  Descending the stairs, she wondered for an instant whether it would be wise for her to tell Lyrelie about how her father had saved her from the bully. Although it made perfect sense to her, she wasn’t sure whether anyone else would understand, even her own daughter.

  Lyrelie’s expression suggested she ought to be admonishing her mother for being up and about, but she knew better than to treat her a
s a weakling, so she made no comment, instead offering a platter of mincen parcels and honey oat breads.

  “As I got the cheese bread, I remembered what you said about ill people not being able to digest the cheese so well, so I put it back. But if you feel you are well enough, I know you always say it’s a good thing to eat when you need strength.”

  Senna helped herself to one of each. “You are absolutely right, my love. But for the moment, I think these will be kindest on my tummy. Now, tell me about your adventure.”

  She nibbled at the sweetmeats, grateful for Lyran’s recipe which involved health-giving spices. Again, she relished the burst of his protective energy which warmed her from inside as she listened to the unfolding tale. Concerned for her mother’s state of mind, Lyrelie had taken it upon herself to visit her only patient, hoping to assess the likelihood of the birthing being today.

  “Very thoughtful of you.” Senna beamed, before popping the last bit of oat bread into her mouth and chewing happily.

  As she poured the brew into a beaker, Lyrelie told how she’d been met by Lareeta’s husband, Taron, who was sorry to hear of Senna’s indisposition, and quick to reassure there would be no action today.

  Yet again, Senna was impressed with the girl’s grasp of procedures, as she described her examination of the pregnant woman.

  “Oh, and I reminded her of the actions she could take to ease the birthing pains until a midwife could get to her.”

  Dabbing the crumbs from her mouth, Senna took a large gulp. “Well done, my darling. It sounds like you did very well.”

  Her next words were interrupted by a tap at the door so subtle and apologetic, she almost missed it. But her daughter’s ears pricked up and she ran to open it.

  14 – Day 5: The Second Birthing

  Taron stepped through, grabbing the cap from his head, and clutching it in his hands as though to wring out the moisture from it. “Good afternoon to you, Senna. I hear you have not been well.”

  His nervous nod in Lyrelie’s direction and general demeanour confused Senna. She could not determine whether his anxiety was on behalf of his wife, or herself. His next words made it clear.

  “I only heard part of the explanation of the visit of my father-by-marriage, but I know the man well enough to have great concern for your safety. It is a great relief to find you in good humour. I imagined all manner of situations as I rode through the streets.”

  “I wondered how you managed to get here so quickly. Are you sure you didn’t knock over any of the villages in your haste?” The twinkle in her eye finally caused him to grin like the boy she knew, having brought him into the world twenty years ago.

  “Thankfully, Bessie is far more sure-footed than I. She got us here safely.”

  “You did not come in the cart?”

  “I did not feel there was a need. I think this babe wants to grow a few inches longer before coming out. I would like to confirm my humble apologies for what I can only imagine must’ve been a horrible experience for you. That man is insufferable at the best of times, but his concern for his daughter has turned him into a monster.”

  Intuition raised goosebumps over Senna’s arms, but she tried to remain neutral. “Please explain exactly what happened.”

  As Taron explained how he and his mother were out in the scullery, clearing away after lunch, Senna directed a glance at her daughter, indicating the birthing bag, and Lyrelie discreetly replenished the stocks of salves and potions.

  She put a hand on his arm. “Because you’ve come all this way, and you have a horse, it seems a waste for me not to come and have a look. I was a little concerned about walking the distance, but at least this way, I will put everyone’s mind at rest.”

  The relief on his face said she’d made the right decision. Despite his protests, he was obviously unsettled by what had gone on.

  When she saw Lareeta, Senna knew she’d done the right thing in coming. The woman’s face shone with sweat, and the vacant gaze suggested something had gone badly wrong. Disguising her alarm, Senna asked Taron if he would mind returning to the house and asking Lyrelie to bring the bowl of crystals.

  Her next task involved clearing the room, but Lareeta’s mother gratefully resumed her preparation of the traditional Christmas feast. The girl’s father, who had not said a word since she entered the house, merely glared at her.

  It would not help the girl for Senna’s ego to engage in a fist fight with his, so she removed her cloak. Lyran’s protective energy was amplified by his clothes, creating a powerful shield around her. This let her ignore the negative vibrations emanating from the rude man.

  The best place for Lareeta would be her bedchamber, but the poor girl would not be able to make it in her current state. The next best place was the sheepskin rug in front of the hearth, but she would not be able to get there without help.

  Ignoring the fact she should be intimidated, she spoke to the man with the authority of her knowledge. “Your daughter is in a lot of pain. She would be more comfortable lying on the rug; however, I will need assistance to move her.”

  He needed no further prompting, and between them they managed to get the expectant mother curled up on her side, relieving some of the pressure on her body.

  “There are more rugs upstairs. Shall I get them?”

  Surprised by his thoughtfulness, she nodded. “Yes, she may be lying here for some time. If you can find some blankets, she will appreciate them, too.”

  With everyone cleared out of the room, she could finally do what was needed, although it would not take much more than a cursory examination to confirm her suspicions.

  Lareeta’s whimper at the hands on her belly tore at Senna’s heart, and she whispered soothing words as she used a damp cloth to cool the girl’s forehead and neck.

  “My babe is hurting, isn’t he? Papa knew. You must forgive his rudeness; he was only trying to take care of me.”

  “Hush now, sweetheart. You have nothing to fear. Your little one has decided he wants to come out tonight, which is a little early. But it’s nothing to worry about; we’ll soon get it sorted.”

  Senna saw no point in spreading concern about the fact the babe had got himself a little tangled up. She’d seen it three times before, and each time it had worked out. The most important thing was to make sure both mother and babe had no stress or anxiety which could exacerbate the situation.

  With a wry grin, she recognised the similarity in the two births. Although the two families were at the opposite ends of wealthy circumstances, in both cases, the birthing progress was hampered by the mother’s concerns about her immediate family. And the solution had been the same: cheese bread.

  Placing her hands on either side of the bump, she focused on an image of the babe within, communicating peace, serenity and mostly, love. After a moment or two, she felt a slight lessening of the anxiety which had been radiating out from the moment she entered the room.

  But it was not enough.

  “She worries about her father.” She’d heard Lyran’s voice often enough for it not to unsettle her, but in her fevered state she couldn’t understand his meaning. She knew the babe was male, surely he should have said his father. And why worry about Taron? Unless he were about to have an accident on Bessie.

  “Lareeta’s father. She’s terrified of failing him.”

  The man chose that moment to enter the room, flinging the rugs on the floor. “My wife needs help. I trust you know what you are doing.”

  Terse, but it worked. The mother-to-be finally relaxed, and her waters broke just as Lyrelie and Taron arrived.

  Senna had always worked on her own after Lyran died, and having her daughter there to assist made a refreshing, and delightful change. The additional calming presence, and boost of earth energy, made freeing the babe’s head from the birthing cord more straightforward than in the previous case. Her most important role, however, was in interacting with the other members of the family, keeping their concerns at bay. This left Senna free to devot
e all her energy and attention on the birthing.

  In fact, what could have been one of the most traumatic experiences for the young mother, turned into a joyous occasion. It felt as though Mother Nature herself got involved to ensure the threesome worked in total harmony together. Registering the phenomenon of the power of three at work, Senna dared to hope maybe her daughter might follow in the footsteps of her mother and father, taking a healer’s role. But the last thing she wanted to do was to put pressure on the girl. Her path was hers alone to follow.

  When the babe finally escaped the restriction of the womb, Senna showed her daughter how to bind the cord before cutting it. The next step was to clear away the remains of the mucus around his nose and mouth, then to give a gentle tap on his bottom to encourage him to open his mouth and breathe his first lungful of air.

  The cry brought three anxious faces into the room as Taron preceded Lareeta’s parents into the room. While the older couple hurried to where Lyrelie made her first attempt at swaddling, the man rushed over to envelop his wife in a huge hug.

  As the pair shared tears and laughter, Senna knew the couple would have the best chance of raising their child in a loving home. Taron would support his wife, no matter how much pressure the couple endured from overprotective parents.

  Amidst the joyous celebration, Lareeta’s face suddenly scrunched up in pain. Unfortunately, her father chose that point to remember his grandson actually had a mother, and the glance at her face caused his to colour in anger.

  Before he had a chance to infect everyone else in the room with his fear, Senna reacted quickly. “Lyrelie, I need some help. Could you pass the babe to his grandfather, and bring me the dish of crystals, please?”

  Her diversion tactic worked as the startled man grabbed hold of the bundle thrust into his arms, aided by his wife who adjusted his awkward hold to make the babe more comfortable.